Dispensers for cigarettes and similarly shaped objects



Nov. 5, 1957 H. 1.. RINK ET AL 2,812,106

DISPENSERS FOR CIGARETTES AND SIMILARLY SHAPED OBJECTS Filed Aug. 13,1954 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 Inventors. HA RoLb LEOPOLD RINK. REGINALDFEREANSPENCE.

wwwafim Home y Nov. 5, 1957 H. RINK ET AL 2,812,106

DISPENSERS .FOR CIGARETTES AND SIMILARLY SHAPED OBJECTS Filed Aug. 15,1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventors. HA BOLD LEoPoLD/fiA/K PEG/NA L 0 FRIP/I 1v SPENCE.

y emrflzww United States Patent DISPENSERS FOR CIGARETTES AND SIMILARLYSHAPED OBJECTS Harold Leopold Rink, Bridport, Dorset, and ReginaldFarran Spence, near Bridport, Dorset, England This invention concernsimprovements in or relating to dispensers for cigarettes and similarlyshaped objects (all hereinafter included in the term cigarettes) of thekind comprising a hopper to receive the cigarettes and to deliver themto a rotatable delivery element or roller (hereinafter referred to as aroller) located at the lower part of the hopper and which is adapted toreceive the cigarettes from the hopper and, on the roller being rotatedrelatively to the hopper, to dispense the cigarettes in small numbersand preferably one at a time.

Dispensers of the kind referred to have been previously proposed inwhich the cigarette delivered by the roller rolls down a chute fromwhich the user removes it, or into the palm of the hand placed below theroller, the cigarette remaining substantially parallel to the axis ofthe delivery roller whilst being discharged.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved cigarettedispenser which presents the discharged cigarette to the user in areadily receivable form.

According to this invention there is provided a ciga rette dispenser ofthe kind specified and wherein are pro vided ejecting means adaptedautomatically to cause a cigarette being delivered by the roller of thedispenser to be moved, on reaching the or a delivery position,relatively to, and transversely of the axis of, the said roller in sucha manner that one end portion of the cigarette is moved away from theroller and ejected from the dispenser whilst the other end portion ofthe cigarette remains in the dispenser, the cigarette thus presentingone end to an intending user to facilitate his withdrawal of thecigarette from the dispenser.

Conveniently means are provided whereby that end portion of thecigarette which temporarily remains in the dispenser is lightly grippedtherein.

According to a further feature of the invention the cigarette ejectingmeans may be so constructed that the said ejected end portion of thecigarette moves from the roller transversely of the axis of the latterduring the ejection of such cigarette end portions, whereby thecigarette assumes a position in which it is inclined to, and divergesfrom, the roller from that end portion remaining in the dispenser to itsother end.

The said roller is preferably so constructed that at least that endportion of the cigarette which is temporarily to remain in the dispenserafter the ejection from the latter of the other end portion of thecigarette is, during its movement towards the delivery position,unsupported by, or is free to move inwardly with respect to, the roller,and wherein the said ejecting means are adapted to exert inward pressureon the said unsupported or inwardly movable end portion of the cigaretteat least when the latter reaches the delivery position, thereby to pushthe unsupported or inwardly movable end portion of the cigaretteinwardly with respect to the said roller, the cigarette rocking see-sawfashion in the roller and the opposite end portion of the cigarette thusbeing projected outwardly from the dispenser. 1 i .That end portion ofthe cigarette temporarily remain:

ice

ing in the dispenser is conveniently lightly gripped betwee the saidroller and the said ejecting means. 1 7 The said roller will preferablybe in the form of a cylinder having longitudinal cigarette locatingmeans provided by at least one longitudinal groove to receive from thehopper one cigarette at a time for advancement to the said deliveryposition and desirably will have a plurality of such longitudinalgrooves all parallel to the axis of the roller and equi-angularly spacedaround the cir cumference of the latter. The roller could, however, beof other forms; for instance it may comprise a spindle having outwardlyextending longitudinal n'bs defining pockets or grooves therebetween, orit could comprisea plurality of peripherally notched or grooved discs orwheels on a common spindle. p

It is preferred to arrange the groove or grooves. or equivalent means,all hereinafter referred to as grooves, in the roller so as to have thelongitudinal medial plane or planes thereof tangential to an imaginarycylindrical surface concentric with the axis of the roller. Y1Preferably the said roller is substantially wholly fe closed in thelower part of the hopper, the roller Working in a substantiallycylindrical and closely-fitting housing formed on, or attached to, thelower part of the hopper and having a longitudinal delivery slotparallel to the axis of the roller and through which a cigaretteprotrudes when delivered by the roller. i

The said ejecting means preferably comprise a spring element which maybe in the form of a spring finger nor mally held out of contact with acigarette in the roller but being released to press the unsupported orinwardly movable end portion of the cigarrette inwardly when thecigarette reaches its delivery position. In order to leave one endportion of the cigarette un supported or inwardly movable in the rolleras it is moved by the latter to the delivery position as abovedescribed, the roller may be recessed inwardly at one end. Thus theroller conveniently has at least one longitudinal groove, as aforesaid,for picking up a cigarette from the hopper and for conveying it alone tothe delivery position of the dispenser, and this groove is preferably soformed .as to support the cigarette along its whole length up to aposition short of one end of the cigarette where the groove becomesprogressively deeper to its outer end so as to leave the cigaretteunsupported over this ramp-like base surface of the groove whereby, wheninward pressure is applied to the unsupported end of the cigarette, thisend swings inwardly and the other end of the cigarette swings outwardlywith respect to the roller, the junction of the inner end of theprogressively deepened part of the said groove with the remainderof thegroove constitutinfga fulcrum for the cigarette. I H

Alternatively, that end portion of the cigarette tempo rarily to remain,in the dispenser may be supported in the roller by a light spring orother resilient support which recedes under the action of the ejectormeans, thus leaving that end portion of the cigarette inwardly m'ovable. L

It will be appreciated that, when the roller comprises grooved discs orwheels on a common spindle or when it is of the other forms ashereinbefore described, the longitudinal cigarette locating means are soarranged that that end portion of the cigarette which is temporarily toremain 'in the dispenser i unsupported or inwardly movable at thedelivery position. I f

The cigarette is lightly gripped between the ejecting means andtheroller and the ejecting means thus also serve temporarily to retainthe cigarette in the roller.

The retained end of the cigarette and the said ejecting means may beshielded by a hood provided on aportion of the dispenser housingextending over or around the a do er- MQKMS may also be provided forcausing a jigging or vibration of the cigarette in the hopper, therebyto reduce or prevent arching of the cigarettes in the hopper and to,facilitate the entry, of a cigarette o'r cigarettes from the hopper intothelongitudinal groove or grooves of the roller as this, rotates. Suchmeans may comprise a plate, or false wall plate, in the said hopperwhich is periodically moved. relatively to the opposite wall of thehopper thereby to disturb the cigarettes in the latter. Alternatively,or as well, means may be provided for causing a rising or falling orjigging or vibration of the roller -as it rotates which likewise servesto reduce or prevent; arching of the cigarettes over the roller andwithin the hopper- Preferably means are also provided for limiting therotation of theroller to rotation in the delivery direction o y-l It isalso desirable to provide means whereby the roller may not, during thedispensing of a cigarette, be accidentally forced past the deliveryposition with resulting damage to the cigarette being dispensed.

A, cigarette dispenser according to the invention is particularlysuitable for use in motor cars and other vehicles and places whereone-handed'dispensing of a cigarette is de sirable, the cigarette beingejected at one end only ready for removal from the dispenser when theopportunity arises but meanwhile being lightly gripped or held at theother end in the dispenser so as to avoid the likelihood of thecigarette falling out of the dispenser.

In order that the invention may be more readily understoodtwoembodiments of the same will now be described by way of example withreference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette dispenser constructed inaccordance with this invention and showing a cigarette ejected ready forremoval by the user.

Figure 2 is an end elevation (looking from the left of Figure l), of thecigarette dispenser shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line IIIIII, Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on line IV-IV, Figure 3. Figure 5 is arear elevation partly broken away of the dispenser shown in Figures 1 to4.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the dispenser shown in Figures 1 to 5and illustrates one method of attaching it tothe dashboard of a motorcar or the like.

Figure 7 illustrates an alternative method of attaching the dispensershown in Figures 1 to 5 to a wall, a windscreen of a car or the like.

Figure 8 is a transverse fragmentary cross-sectional elevation showing aslight modification of the cigarette dispenser shown in Figures 1 to 5.

In the first embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figures 1 to 5of the drawings, the dispenser comprises a casing 1 having anapproximately cylindrical, hollow, horizontal housing 2 at the lowerpart thereof in which is coaxially mounted a roller 3 havinglongitudinal cigarette locating means which in this instance are in theform of grooves 4 in its external periphery and which is capable ofbeing rotated in, whilst being peripherally confined by, the housing 2,and a part constituting a hopper 5 extending upwardly from, andcommunicating by; an enlongated opening with, the housing 2 and ofapproximately rectangular cross-section in plan.

The. rear wall 6 and the lower and internal convergent portion7 of thefront wall of the hopper 5 converge downwardly towards the roller 3, theinternal convergent portion 7 extending to a position closely adjacentthe vertical plane containing the axis of the roller 3, and the internalsurface of the rear wall 6 meeting the inner surface of the housing 2 at8, a position about 60 rearwardly of the saidvertical plane.

The-lengths of the hopper 5, the housing 2 and the roller 3 are slightlyin excess of the length of-the longest cigarette that the device is todispense and the hopper 5 is intended to receive the cigarettes such asthose indicated at 9, Figure 3, in positions parallel to the axis of theroller 3. To enable cigarettes to be inserted in the hopper 5, the upperend of the same is provided with a filling opening or slot 10 and ahinged cover 11 therefor. Conveniently the upper end of the hopper is ofsemicylindrical form and the filling opening or slot 10 is provided inthe front part of the top portion of the hopper for the admission ofcigarettes to the latter and the cover 11 is of approximately quadrantalform and is furnished at its ends with sector shaped lugs 12 pivoted tothe ends 13 and 14 of the hopper respectively, this cover 11 beingcapable of being swung rearwardly in the direction of arrow A, Figure 3,when it is desired to expose the filling opening or slot 10. Tofacilitate the raising of the cover 11, a notch 26 is provided in theupper edge of the front wall of the casing 1 to receive the nail of thefinger or thumb of the operator.

The back of the hopper 5 is conveniently provided externally with acentral lug 15 to which is screwed a downwardly convergent, wedge-shapedplate 16 adapted releasably to engage in downwardly convergent channels17 in a triangular fixing plate 18. The latter is adapted to be attachedto the dashboard of a motor car or like supporting surface eitherdirectly by screws 19, as shown in Figure 6, or by suction elements 21bolted to the plate 18, as shown in Figure 7.

Conveniently the hopper 5 and the approximately cylindrical housing 2are formed as mouldings, preferably from plastic, such as thermosettingplastic, and are made in two halves or parts meeting in a vertical planepass ing through the axis of the housing 2. The lower parts of the twohalves or parts are secured together by screws 22 whilst their upperparts, are secured by the engagement of looped or eyelike ends 23 of thelugs 12 around the two halves 24 and 25 of vertically split pivotprojections each formed one on the front half or part and the other onthe rear half or part of the casing 1 and over which the lugs 12 aresprung when applying the cover 11 to the casing 1.

In the lower part of the housing 2 for the roller 3 is provided alongitudinal slot 27, see Figures 3, 4 and 8, through which cigarettedust or the like can leave the housing 2, so as not to impede, therotation of the roller 3.

The longitudinal grooves 4 of the roller 3 are spaced equi-angularlyaround the circumference of the roller 3 which is conveniently made as aplastic moulding. The longitudinal grooves 4 are not radial but arepreferably ofiset from the radii of the roller so that theirlongitudinal medial planes 28, see Figure 2, are substantiallytangential to an imaginary cylindrical surface 29 which is coaxial withthe axis of the roller and on which lie the rounded bottoms 30 of thegrooves, the arrangement thus, being such that the rear (rotationallyspeaking) wall 31 is shallower, than the front wall 32 of each of thelongitudinal: grooves 4 and has, a somewhat undercut appearance in endview.

Each of the longitudinal grooves 4 of the roller3 is capable ofreceiving a cigarette entirely within it and within the peripheralbounding surface of the roller 3, the cigarette passing sideways-on,that is, by movement in a direction transverse to its length, to thelongitudinal grooves at the rear of the hopper as clearly shown inFigure 3. The cigarette is directed by the downwardly and forwardlyinclined back wall 6 of the hopper 5 into the longitudinal groove 4 whenthe rear wall of the lat ter lies adjacent to the said back wall 6, asshown in Figure 3, the walls of each longitudinal groove 4 and the saidback wall 6 of the hopper 5 being substantially parallel in thispositionof the roller.

Over one end portion thereof, each ofthe said longitudinal grooves 4 isinwardly recessed so that its depth progressively increases towards thenearest end of the roller, as shown at 33, Figure 4. Thus, when acigarette lies in a longitudinal groove 4 with its axis parallel to theaxis of the roller 3, the cigarette is supported for the major part ofits length by the base of the longitudinal groove 4, but, over that endportion of the cigarette lying opposite the recessed part 33 of thegroove, the cigarette is unsupported so that, if inward pressure isapplied to this end portion of the cigarette, the cigarette will rocksee-saw fashion in the roller and the ppo site end of the cigarette willbe projected outwardly from the dispenser.

Each end of the roller 3 is provided with a coaxial outwardly extendingtrunnion 34 which is journalled in the corresponding end wall of thehousing 2. The outer ends of the trunnions 34 project through and beyondthe end walls of the housing 2 and are then each provided with asquare-section portion 35 on to which an operating wheel 36 is fixed bya screw 37. Each of these Wheels 36 is peripherally inwardly scallopedso as to produce a number of radial spokes or protuberances 38corresponding in number and in position to the longitudinal grooves 4.Moreover, the major part of the periphery of each of the wheels 36 isenclosed in an annular overhanging guard 39 so that all except one ofthe spokes or protuberances 38 are enshrouded. The guard 39 is formedintegrally with the ends of the house ing 2, there being a segmental gap40 in this guard 39 at the front of the dispenser and over an arcuatelength of the guard sufiicient to enable each of the said wheels 36 tobe rotated by one of its forwardly directed spokes or protuberances 38far enough to dispense one cigarette at a time and to expose the nextspoke or protuberance 38 of the wheel 36 ready for operation of theroller 3.

At the end of each delivery operation of the roller 2 the spoke orprotuberance 38 by which the roller 3 was rotated to dispense thecigarette will pass into the guard 39, see Figures 1 and 2, so that thewheel 36 cannot be rotated further by pressing on this spoke orprotuberance. Thus the entry of the spokes or protuberances one by oneinto the guard 39 limits the extent to which the roller 3 can be rotatedby each spoke or protuberance, and. the accidental movement of theroller 3 pas its delivery position will'be avoided.

The operating wheels 36 or their spokes or protuberances 38 may beknurled or serrated perimetrically, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5, tofacilitate their operation.

In the front of the housing 2 and mainly above the horizontal planecontaining the axis of the roller 3 is provided a horizontal deliveryslot 41 extending from one end almost to the other end of the housing 2but having, over the end of the delivery slot 41 adjacent that portionof the roller 3 where the said longitudinal grooves 4 in the roller arerecessed, an outwardly transversely bowed hood 42 which extends for ashort distance along the delivery slot 41 from the said end. Thus, whena cigarette is in the delivery position opposite the delivery slot 41,one end portion of the cigarette is concealed by the hood 42, Whilst theremainder of the cigarette is exposed to view.

Within the casing 1 of the dispenser and at that end thereof having thehood 42, ejecting means are located in the form of a vertical pendentleaf spring or finger 43, secured, as by a screw 44, to the innersurface of the frontwall of the hopper 5, the lower part of the leafspring or finger 43 extending downwardly in a channel 45, defined by thehood 42, on to the periphery of the roller 3,.the lower part 46 of theleaf spring or finger 43 being substantially rectilinear and terminatingslightly above the level of the lower edge of the delivery slot 41.

.Thus, as the roller 3 rotates forwardly and carries a cigarette, suchas the cigarette 48, from the rear part of the lower end of the hopper 5into registration with the delivery slot 41, the cigarette is broughtinto engagement with the lower end portion 46 of the leaf spring 43. Theportion 46 presses the engaged end of the cigarette rearwardly, so thatthe cigarette pivots on the fulcrum 47, Figure 4 (formed at the junctionof the main part of the base .of the groove 4 in' which the cigarette islocated and the inwardly and progressively inclined inset portion 33 ofthe groove where that end portion of the cigarette engaged by the springor finger 43 is normally unsupported whilst in the groove), the oppositeend portion of the cigarette being consequently projected outwardlysee-saw fashion, through the slot 41 in the direction of arrow B, Figure4, whilst the end of the cigarette engaged by the leaf spring or finger43 is gripped lightly between the latter and the roller 3 until pulledendwise therefrom by the intending user who grasps the projected endportion of the obliquely and outwardly directed cigarette.

To achieve the forward oblique ejection of the cigarette 48 through thedelivery slot 41 of the dispenser 1, the lower end 46 of the leaf springor finger 43 is prevented from engaging the cigarette 48 until thelatter has been registered with the delivery slot 41. Thus the lower end46 of the leaf spring or finger 43 rides upon a cylindrical part 49 ofthe external periphery of the roller 3 in advance of the groove thereofnext to deliver'a cigarette until this groove has registered with thedelivery slot 41 when the lower end 46 of the leaf spring or finger 43is released by the roller 3 and springs inwardly on to the cigarette 48.The unsupported end of the latter is thus pushed inwardly with respectto the roller 3, the extent of inward movement of the leaf spring orfinger 43 being limited when no cigarette is in the groove by theengagement of the cranked portion of the leaf spring or finger 43adjoining the part 46 of the latter with the outer end of the rear wall31 of the longitudinal groove 4 into which the lower end 46 of the leafspring or finger 43 has moved, as illustrated in Figure 2.

The lower end 46 of the leaf spring or finger 43 is twisted out of theplane of the remainder thereof, so as to be inclined to the longitudinalcentral medial plane of the dispenser as clearly seen from Figures 3 and4.

To facilitate the rapid entry of the lower end 46 of the leaf spring orfinger 43 into the longitudinal grooves 4 as these are brought'seriatiminto registration with the delivery slot 41, the outer corner 52 of thefront wall of each longitudinal groove 4 is rounded off.

The leaf spring or finger 43 also serves yieldingly to restrain theroller 3 of the dispenser from rotating accidentally or from turning, ateach operation thereof, through an angle exceeding that between twosuccessive cigarette longitudinal grooves 4, i. e. the angular movementrequired to deliver one cigarette.

The leaf spring or finger 43 has an upward extension 50, the upper end51 of which serves to engage the inner surface of the cover 11 of thedispenser to prevent this cover accidentally opening and, if desired,the cover may have a protuberance in its inner side to co-operate tothis end with the upper end 51 of said leaf spring extension 50.

In order to vibrate or jig the cigarettes in the hopper 5 and keep themmobile, the hopper 5 is provided with a false back wall in the form of aU-shaped plate 53 formed of springy sheet material such as 36 S. W. G.hard brass sheet, and secured at its upper part to the back of thehopper 5 by screws 54. The lower part of the plate 53 normally liesagainst the back of the hopper 5 and this lower edge of the plate 53 islocated just above the adjacent part of the periphery of the roller 3.

From the lower part of each side edge of the said plate 53, an integrallug 55 projects forwardly at right angles to the plate, each lug 55lying between one end of the groove-provided part of the roller 3 andthe adjacent side or end wall of the dispenser casing 1. Each of saidlugs 55 is conveniently of trianguler form in side elevation and has atis forward end a dependent detent or pawl 56 which co-operates with atoothed wheel 57 fixed one on each end of the roller 3, this wheelhaving as many teeth 58 as there are longitudinal r- I grooves 4 in theroller 3 and each tooth being located just in front of the front wall 51on eachlongitudinal groove 4.

It will thus be seen that, as the roller 3 is rotated, the detents 56 ofthe plate 53 are repeatedly acted upon by the teeth 58 of the toothedwheels 57 thereby to pull the lower part of the plate 53 forwardly todisturb the cigarettes (and particularly the cigarettes arched over theroller 3) in the hopper 5 and to push them slightly in a forwarddirection, the plate 53 then suddenly being released to spring back toits original position and relieves the cigarettes of forward pressure.Thus the liability of the cigarettes arching is reduced to a minimum andthe cigarettes are kept mobile so as to pass one after another into thelongitudinal grooves 4 of the roller 3.

Moreover, the co-operation of the teeth 58 with the plate 53 pawl andratchet fashion limits the rotation of the roller 3 to a forwarddirection only.

In the alternative embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 8, thevibration or jigging of the cigarettes is obtained by vibrating theroller 3 in a vertical direction as it rotates. To this end thetrunnions 34, of the roller 3 are journalled in vertical slots 59 in theend walls of the housing 2, these slots permitting the roller 3 torotate and also to move up and down to a limited extent, whilstrestraining the roller 3 against movement forwardly or rearwardly.

To ensure that the roller 3 is vertically jigged or vibratedperiodically as it rotates, an upwardly projecting cam ridge 60 isprovided near each end of the housing 2 at the lower part thereof sothat, as the roller 3 rotates, each peripheral cylindrical part 49thereof located between a pair of rotationally succeeding longitudinalgrooves 4 will ride along the cam ridge 60 to cause the roller 3 to beraised to a small extent in the housing 2 after which the roller 3 willbe sharply dropped in the housing 2, this occurring as many times in therotation of the.roller 3 as there are longitudinal grooves 4 therein anddisturbing the cigarettes resting on the upper part of the roller 3 atany particular moment and so preventing these cigarettes arching overthe top of theroller 3. If desired spring means, not shown, may beprovided for pressing the roller 3 downwardly.

It is thus seen that the cigarette dispenser of this invention has apleasing appearance and may easily be operated one-handedly to dispensecigarettes one at a time, each cigarette at delivery being projectedoutwardly from the dispenser so that it may easily be graspedonehandedly by the user but at the same time being prevented fromfalling from the dispenser since one end portion is lightly gripped inthe latter.

We claim:

1. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper to receive the cigarettes;a housing at the lower part of said hopper and communicating with thelatter through an elongated opening permitting cigarettes to passsideways from the hopper to the housing; a roller rotatably mounted in,and peripherally confined by, said housing immediately below andparallel to said elongated opening, said roller having a plurality oflongitudinal grooves arranged at equi-angularly spaced intervals aroundits periphery and each adapted to register periodically with saidelongated opening and alternately with a delivery slot provided in theperipheral wall of said housing at a position rotationally in advance ofsaid elongated opening and alongside said roller, all of said groovesbeing recessed inwardly at one and the same end so that at this end acigarette lying in the groove is inwardly movable with respect to theroller; an operating member for rotating said roller in said housing; aradial spoke on said operating member for each of the longitudinalgrooves in the roller; a guard on said housing and enshrouding allexcept one of said spokes at a time so that only one can be grasped tooperate the roller; a plate forming a false wall for the back of thesaid hopper; tooth means on said, roller adapted to co-operate,,as saidroller rotates, with said plate to move the latter relatively to theback of the hopper so as to disturb the cigarettes in the latter, saidtooth means also co-operating with said plate pawl-and-ratchet-fashionthereby. to limit the rotation of the said roller to rotation in, the,delivery direction only; and a spring ejecting finger in said housingopposite that end portion of said roller at which therecessed ends of.said grooves are located and adapted to bear on the inwardly movableend portion of a cigarette lying in a groove when that groove registerswith the said delivery slot so as to urge the inwardly movable endportionof the cigarette inwardly thereby to cause the other end of saidcigarette to move outwardly to the outside of said housing. 7

2. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper to receive the cigarettes;a housing at the lower part of said hopper and communicating with thelatter by an elongated opening permitting cigarettes to pass sidewaysfrom the latter into the housing; a roller rotatably mounted in saidhousing immediately below and parallel to said elongated opening; cammeans for slightly raising the roller periodically in said housing asthe roller rotates to jig the cigarettes in the said hopper to keep themfreely dischargeable from the latter through said elongated opening,said roller being peripherally confined by said housing and journalledtherein so as to be free for a limited rising and falling movement inthe housing and said roller having a plurality of longitudinal groovesarranged at equiangularly spaced intervals around its periphery andparallel to its axis of rotation, each said groove being adaptedalternately to register with said elongated opening and with a deliveryslot provided in the peripheral wall of saidhousing at a positionrotationally in advance of said elongated opening, parallel to thelatter and alongside said roller, one end portion of each of saidgrooves of the roller being inwardly recessed so that the portion of thecigarette located in such a groove and lying in front of said recess isunsupported and free for inward movement when the groove registers withsaid delivery slot and the remainder of the cigarette is freed for outward movement with respect to said roller; and a spring ejecting fingerin said housing opposite therecessed ends of said grooves and adaptedtobear successively on the inwardly movable end portions of cigarettes insaid grooves as the said roller is rotated and, when each such cigaretteregisters with thesaid delivery slot, to urge the inwardly movable endportion of the cigarette inwardly thereby to cause the remainder of thecigarette to move outwardly from said roller, through said deliveryslot, to the outside of said housing.

3. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper to receive the cigarettes;a housing at the lower part of said hopper and communicating with thelatter through an elongated opening permitting cigarettes to passsideways from the hopper to the housing; a roller rotatably mounted in,and peripherally confined by, said housing immediately be low andparallel to said elongated opening, said roller having a plurality oflongitudinal grooves arranged at equi-angularly spaced intervals aroundits periphery and each adapted to register periodically with saidelongated opening and alternately with a delivery slot provided in theperipheral wall of said housing at a position rotationally in advance ofsaid elongated opening and alongside said roller, all of said groovesbeing recessed inwardly at one and the same end so that at this end acigarette lying in the groove is inwardly movable with respect to theroller; operating means for effecting rotation of said roller; a plateforming a false wall for the back of the said hopper; tooth means onsaid roller adapted to cooperate, as said roller rotates, with saidplate to move the latter relatively to the back of the hopper so as todisturb the cigarettes in the latter, said tooth means also co-operatingwith said plate pawl-and-ratchet-fashion thereby to limit the rotationof the said roller to rotation in the delivery direction only; a springejecting finger in said housing opposite that end portion of said rollerat which the recessed ends of said grooves are located and adapted tobear on the inwardly movable end portion of a cigarette lying in agroove when that groove registers with the said delivery slot so as tourge the inwardly movable end portion of the cigarette inwardly therebyto cause the other end of the said cigarette to move outwardly to theoutside of said housing.

4. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper to receive the cigarettes;a housing at the lower part of said hopper and communicating with thelatter through an elongated opening permitting cigarettes to passsideways from the hopper to the housing; a roller rotatably mounted in,and peripherally confined by, said housing immediately below andparallel to said elongated opening, said roller having a plurality oflongitudinal grooves arranged parallel to the axis of the roller atequi-angularly spaced intervals around its periphery and each adapted toregister periodically with said elongated opening and alternately with adelivery slot provided in the peripheral wall of said housing at aposition rotationally in advance of said elongated opening and alongsidesaid roller, each of said grooves being recessed inwardly at one and thesame end to provide a surface inclined away from the base of the grooveand towards the axis of the roller, the junction of the base of thegroove and the said inclined surface forming a fulcrum about which acigarette in the groove may be pivoted by movement inwardly of theroller of that end portion of the cigarette at the recessed end of theroller; operating means for effecting intermittent partial stepwiserotation of said roller; and a spring ejecting finger in said housingopposite that end portion of said roller at which the recessed ends ofsaid grooves are located, a part of said spring finger being parallel tosaid inclined surface and adapted to bear on the inwardly movable endportion of a cigarette lying in a groove when that groove registers withthe said delivery slot so as to pivot the cigarette about the junctionbetween the base of the groove and the said inclined surface and urgethe inwardly movable end portion of the cigarette inwardly until itbears against the said inclined surface and is frictionally grippedbetween the latter and the part of the spring ejecting finger parallelthereto, and the other end of the cigarette then projecting outwardly ofthe housing through said delivery slot into a position facilitating theready gripping of the outer end of the cigarette by an intended userwhen required for withdrawal of the cigarette from the dispenser.

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